Long the source of speculation amongst loyal Flaming Lips fans, this offbeat tale of the first Martian colony and the strange events surrounding the birth of the first extraterrestrial human child went into production in 2001 with band frontman Wayne Coyne pulling double duty as both director and star. Sometime in the distant future, man has conquered Mars. Shortly after reaching the Red Planet, however, the space program went into decline, effectively stranding the astronauts millions of miles from their home planet. As Christmas draws near and Major Syrtis (Steven Drozd) begins drawing up plans for the big pageant, the crew is struggling to convert old spaceships into living quarters and the confidence among the scientists is beginning to wane. The first colonist baby is set to be born at the stroke of midnight on Christmas, a symbolic testament to the beginning of a new civilization. Unfortunately, a number of crew members have committed suicide, including the man who was supposed to play Santa Clause at the big celebration. Into this alien chaos arrives a mysterious Martian (Coyne). A strange figure who seeks to both inspire and assist the struggling astronauts, the Martian is quickly recruited to take over the role of Santa Clause in the upcoming pageant.
~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide